Officer Suffers Bruise When Suspects’ Car Runs Over Foot

An undercover Los Angeles police officer put himself in the line of fire in a confrontation with armed car thieves, but survived with only a bruise on his foot, police said.

Detective Ken Belt and Officer Ed Largey were staking out a stolen car parked on Landale Street between Cahuenga Boulevard and Cartwright Avenue on Monday evening, Sgt. Christopher Vasquez said. They were accompanied by other plainclothes officers in unmarked cars, he said.

About 7 p.m. they saw Jorge Castillo, 19, approach the car, but when they walked toward Castillo he ran off, Vasquez said. The police gave chase as Castillo darted around the corner and jumped into the passenger side of a parked Honda, Vasquez said.

As the vehicle began to pull away from the curb, Largey, 46, ran to the driver’s side door, identified himself as a police officer, and ordered the driver to stop, Vasquez said. The driver, Amilcar Bolanos, 24, pointed a semiautomatic pistol at Largey, Vasquez said.

Largey, believing he was about to be shot, fired two rounds into the car but did not hit anyone, Vasquez said.

As Largey fired another two rounds, the Honda pulled away from the curb and ran over Largey’s right foot, Vasquez said. But 100 feet up the street the car collided with a police car that had swung across its escape route, Vasquez said.

Castillo was arrested as he stumbled out of the Honda, Vasquez said, but Bolanos dashed north on Cartwright. He was caught on Riverside Drive by another officer, Vasquez said.

“He’s a slow runner,” Vasquez said.

Largey was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center, where he was treated for injuries to his foot and released, Vasquez said. Bolanos was booked for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and Castillo for grand theft auto, he said.